Steamboat Ski and Snowboard School instructor Abigail Slingsby trains new instructors Thursday at the base of Steamboat Ski Area. The ski area is preparing to reopen Four Points chairlift today, and Bashor and Thunderhead Express are slated to open Saturday.

Steamboat Ski Area prepares for more lifts, snow

Operators dig out lifts for openings

Steamboat Springs  Last year, lift operators were working the shovels bringing in fresh snow to put underneath the lifts so skiers could get onto the seats safely. This year, they’re facing 5 feet of powder they have to shovel out so the chairs can turn around.

Lift operators are preparing to reopen Four Points lift today, and Bashor and Thunderhead Express are slated for Saturday openings as the open terrain at Steamboat Ski Area expands.

Lift Operations Supervisor Ted Serafy said a crew of six people would head to South Peak today to start digging out the lift in preparation for its opening. The crews will start moving snow with snowcats, but will have to use shovels closer to the machinery.

Lift Operations Director Deb Werner said it’s good and bad to have such deep snow early in the season.

“It’s great to have that much snow at the start of the season, but it’s a great deal of work for the crew,” she said.

“Of course, last year was a lot of work because we had to bring the snow in,” Serafy added.

The snow will continue to pile up in the next few days as well, National Weather Service forecaster Chris Cuoco said.

He said he is predicting a dusting of snow in town today, with 2 to 3 inches tonight.

On the mountain, there could be 3 to 7 inches of accumulation today and tonight, and another 1 to 3 inches Saturday.

Cuoco said he expects it to be windy Friday with 15 to 25 mile per hour winds and clouds throughout Saturday and Sat­urday night.

Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. spokeswoman Loryn Kasten said the trail openings posted on www.steamboat.com were inaccurate Thursday — it listed all but three trails open — but she did not have an updated list of trail openings as of Thursday evening.